[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 213 (Thursday, November 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68162-68164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28551]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA777


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Advisory Panel

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

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ACTION: Notice; solicitation of nominations.

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SUMMARY: NMFS solicits nominations for the Atlantic Highly Migratory 
Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP). NMFS consults with and considers the 
comments and views of the HMS AP when preparing and implementing 
Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) or FMP amendments for Atlantic tunas, 
swordfish, sharks, and billfish. Nominations are being sought to fill 
one-third (11) of the seats on the HMS AP for a 3-year appointment. 
Individuals with definable interests in the recreational and commercial 
fishing and related industries, environmental community, academia, and 
non-governmental organizations will be considered for membership in the 
HMS AP.

DATES: Nominations must be received on or before December 5, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations and requests for the Advisory 
Panel Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures by any of 
the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line the following identifier: ``HMS AP Nominations.''
     Mail: Jenni Wallace, Highly Migratory Species Management 
Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
     Fax: (301) 713-1917.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenni Wallace at (301) 427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., as amended by the 
Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided for the 
establishment of Advisory Panels to assist in the collection and 
evaluation of information relevant to the development of any Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) or FMP amendment. NMFS has consulted with the HMS 
AP on the FMP for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks (final in April 
1999), Amendment 1 to the Billfish FMP (final in April 1999), Amendment 
1 to the 1999 FMP (final in November 2003), the Consolidated HMS FMP 
(final in July 2006), Amendments 1, 2, and 3 to the Consolidated HMS 
FMP (June 2009, April 2008, and March 2010, respectively), and on the 
development of the upcoming Amendments 4, 5, and 6 to the Consolidated 
HMS FMP.

Procedures and Guidelines

A. Nomination Procedures for Appointments to the Advisory Panel

    Nomination packages should include:
    1. The name of the applicant or nominee and a description of his/
her interest in HMS or in particular species of sharks, swordfish, 
tunas, or billfish;
    2. Contact information, including mailing address, phone, and email 
of the applicant or nominee;
    3. A statement of background and/or qualifications;
    4. A written commitment that the applicant or nominee shall 
actively participate in good faith in the meetings and tasks of the HMS 
AP; and
    5. A list of outreach resources that the applicant has at his/her 
disposal to communicate HMS issues to various interest groups.

Tenure for the HMS AP

    Member tenure will be for 3 years (36 months), with approximately 
one-third of the members' terms expiring on December 31 of each year. 
Nominations are sought for terms beginning January 2012 and expiring 
December 2014.

B. Participants

    Nominations for the HMS AP will be accepted to allow representation 
from commercial and recreational fishing interests, the scientific 
community, and the environmental community who are knowledgeable about 
Atlantic HMS and/or Atlantic HMS fisheries. Current representation on 
the HMS AP, as shown in Table 1, consists of 12 members representing 
commercial interests, 12 members representing recreational interests, 4 
members representing environmental interests, 4 academic 
representatives, and the International Commission for the Conservation 
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Advisory Committee Chairperson. Each HMS AP 
member serves a 3-year term with approximately one-third (11) of the 
total number of seats (33) expiring on December 31 of each year. NMFS 
seeks to fill 5 commercial, 3 recreational, 2 environmental, and 1 
academic vacancy by December 31, 2011. NMFS will seek to fill vacancies 
based primarily on maintaining the current representation from each of 
the sectors. NMFS also considers species expertise and representation 
from the fishing regions (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf 
of Mexico, and Caribbean) to ensure the diversity and balance of the 
AP. Table 1 includes the current representation on the HMS AP by 
sector, region and species with terms that are expiring identified in 
bold. It is not meant to indicate that NMFS will only consider persons 
who have expertise in the species or fishing regions that are listed. 
Rather, NMFS will aim toward having as diverse and balanced an AP as 
possible.

                  Table 1--Current Representation on the HMS AP by Sector, Region, and Species
   [Terms that are expiring are in bold. NMFS tries to maintain diversity and balance in representation among
               fishing regions and species; the AP Bylaws only dictate representation by Sector.]
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                                                                                       Date          Date term
              Sector                    Fishing region            Species            appointed        expires
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Academic..........................  All..................  Tuna.................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Academic..........................  All..................  Tuna.................        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Academic..........................  All..................  Shark................        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Academic..........................  All..................  Swordfish/HMS........        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Commercial........................  Northeast............  HMS..................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Commercial........................  Northeast............  Tuna.................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Commercial........................  Southeast............  HMS..................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Commercial........................  Northeast............  Tuna.................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Commercial........................  Northeast............  Tuna.................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Commercial........................  Mid-Atlantic.........  Shark................        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Commercial........................  Southeast............  Swordfish/Tuna.......        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Commercial........................  Northeast............  Tuna.................        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
Commercial........................  Mid-Atlantic.........  HMS/Shark............        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
Commercial........................  Southeast............  Swordfish............        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
Commercial........................  Gulf of Mexico.......  Shark................        1/1/2011      12/31/2013

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Commercial........................  Gulf of Mexico.......  Shark................        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
Environmental.....................  All..................  Shark................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Environmental.....................  All..................  Shark................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Environmental.....................  All..................  Tuna.................        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
Environmental.....................  All..................  Tuna.................        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
Recreational......................  Northeast............  Tuna/Shark...........        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Recreational......................  Mid-Atlantic.........  HMS..................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Recreational......................  Mid-Atlantic.........  Tuna.................        1/1/2009      12/31/2011
Recreational......................  Northeast............  Tuna/Shark...........        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Recreational......................  Southeast............  Swordfish............        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Recreational......................  Northeast............  Tuna.................        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Recreational......................  All..................  HMS..................        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Recreational......................  Mid-Atlantic.........  HMS..................        1/1/2010      12/31/2012
Recreational......................  Southeast............  HMS..................        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
Recreational......................  Mid-Atlantic.........  HMS..................        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
Recreational......................  All..................  Billfish.............        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
Recreational......................  Gulf of Mexico.......  HMS..................        1/1/2011      12/31/2013
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    Regardless of fishing region or species, each sector must be 
adequately represented, and the intent is to have a group that, as a 
whole, reflects an appropriate and equitable balance and mix of 
interests given the responsibilities of the HMS AP. Criteria for 
membership include one or more of the following: (1) Experience in the 
HMS recreational fishing industry; (2) experience in the HMS commercial 
fishing industry; (3) experience in fishery-related industries (e.g., 
marinas, bait and tackle shops); (4) experience in the scientific 
community working with HMS; and/or (5) representation of a private, 
non-governmental, regional, national, or international organization 
representing marine fisheries; or environmental, governmental, or 
academic interests dealing with HMS.
    Five additional members on the HMS AP include one member 
representing each of the following Councils: New England Fishery 
Management Council, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the 
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery 
Management Council, and the Caribbean Fishery Management Council. The 
HMS AP also includes 22 ex-officio participants: 20 representatives of 
the coastal states and two representatives of the interstate 
commissions (the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the 
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission).
    NMFS will provide the necessary administrative support, including 
technical assistance, for the HMS AP. However, NMFS will not compensate 
participants with monetary support of any kind. Depending on 
availability of funds, members may be reimbursed for travel costs 
related to the HMS AP meetings.

C. Meeting Schedule

    Meetings of the HMS AP will be held as frequently as necessary but 
are routinely held twice each year in the spring and fall. The meetings 
may be held in conjunction with public hearings.

    Dated: October 31, 2011.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-28551 Filed 11-2-11; 8:45 am]
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